Deck for trucks.



S. M. CHASE.

DECK FOB TRUCKS.

APrLIoA'rIoN FILED nu 2e. 1910.

Patented Apr. 181911.v

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Patented Apr. 1s, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHERWOOD M. CHASE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIVGNOR TO THE CHASE FOUNDRY ANDMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

DECK FOR TRUCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

Application filed May 26, 1910. Serial No. 563,585.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Srmnwoon M. CHASE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Decks for Trucks, ofwhich they following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to decks for trucks and is designed moreparticularly for use as the upper deck of a brick truck, but is capableof use with trucks of various kinds.

The object of the invention is to provide a deck comprising a pluralityof sections, each of which may be supported in ditl'erent positionsrelative to the other sections thereof and relative to the supportingmember of the truck, thereby enabling the sections of the truck to besupported in such a position, or positions, that they will not interferewith the workmen in loading and unloading the lower deck of the truck.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a hinge for connectingthe adjacent edges of the sections of the deck in such a manner as topermit the sections to be moved into different positions Ias abovedescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l. is an end elevation of a truckhaving a deck embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly insection, showing the hinge by means of Which the deck sections areconnected; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a portion of the truck showingone section of the deck elevated; and Fig. 4 is a similar view showingthe adjacent portions of two sections of the deck elevated.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention andhave shown the same as applied to a truck comprising track wheels lmounted on an axle 2, the outer ends or `journal portions of which aremounted in bearings carried by brackets 3, upon which is mounted thelower deck of the truck which comprises a main frame 4, preferablyrectangular in shape and having an upper or supporting surface oflongitudinally arranged strips 5 spaced some distance apart and securedto the frame 4. Standards 6 extend upward from the lower deck 4 and arepreferably arranged in pairs, the upper ends of the standards of eachpair being connected by transverse bars 7, the standards and thetransverse connecting bar forming a support for the upper deck. Thenumber of these supports may be determined by the length of the truck,but as each is a duplicate of the other I have here shown but one.

Mounted on the transverse members 7 of the support is an upper deckformed in a plurality of sections. In the present instance I have shownthe deck as divided longitudinally near its center and comprising buttwo sections. The deck preferably comprises a series of strips 8 whichare here shown as channel irons and these strips are connected one tothe other by transverse connecting members 9, to which the strips arerigidly secured. Each of the transverse members 9 is divided near itscenter into two parts, thus dividinfr the deck as a whole along alongitudinal Iine taken centrally thereof.

The two sections of the deck are hinged one to the other and are capableof movement relative one to the other and to the supporting members 7 ofthe truck. In the present instance this hinged connection is formed bymeans of a hinged plate 1() having its ends upturned, as indicated at11. (lne end of the plate 10 is pivotally connected to the adjacent endof one portion of the connecting member 9 by means of a pin 1Q and theother end of the plate l0 is provided with a pin 13 which is slidablymounted in a slot .1.4 formed in the adjacent end of the other portionof the connecting member S). This hinge permits the two parts of thedeck to be folded one upon the other with either the upper or lowersurface on the outside, thereby enabling the deck to be readily removedand stored in a small space. Either section of the deck may have itsouter edge elevated relatively to the inner edge thereof, as indicatedin Fig. 3, or the inner edges of both sections of the deck may beelevated, as indicated in Fig. 4. By elevating the outer edge of Vonesection of the deck, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, this sectionof the deck may be supported in such a position that it will notinterfere with the workmen while they are loading the lower deck. If itis desirable to work from both sides of the truck the edges of bothsections of the deck may be elevated, as indicated in full and dottedlines in Fig. 3,

or, if desired, one section may be folded upon the other and the foldeddeck moved to the center or entirely removed from the car, or the twosections of the deck may be disposed relative one to the other in anymanner which will facilitate t-he work. The deck may be retained uponthe supporting members when in its extended position in any suitablemanner, but, as here shown, the supports have upwardly extending lips 15arranged near the ends of the transverse members 7 and adapted to engagethe sides of the deck and hold the same against lateral displacement.Depending lips 1G rigidly secured to the lower edges of one or more ofthe strips 8 engage the transverse members 7 and hold the deck againstlongitudinal displacement.

It will be noted that a deck constructed as above described may besupported in any one of numerous positions, thereby enabling the same tobe disposed in such a manner that it will not interfere with the loadingand unloading of the lower deck. Further, it will be noted that theconstruction is a very strong and durable one and that the adjustabilityof the deck does not involve the use of any complicated or delicateparts which would weaken the construction of the deck.

I wish it to be understoodthat I do not desire to be limited to thedetails of construction shown and described, for obvious tions withtheir outer edges either above or below the plane of their inner edges.

2. A deck of the character described di vided longitudinally tovform twosections, one of said sections having slots near one edge thereof, andhinge plates connecting said sections one to the other, each of saidhinge plates being pivotally connect-ed to the adjacent edge of one ofsaid sections on a fixed pivot and the other end of each of said plateshaving a pin slidably mounted in one of the slots formed in t-headjacent edge of the other of said sections.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SHERWOOD M. CHASE.

Witnesses CHARLES CooN, JOHN C. CooN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Vashington, D. C.

